Gautam Gambhir is more relaxed compared to his predecessor Rahul Dravid, who had a “regimented” style of functioning, believes Ravichandran Ashwin.
Dravid, who was in charge of Team India since November 2021, quit the role this July after the T20 World Cup triumph and has since been replaced by Gambhir.
Pointing out the difference, Ashwin noted that Gambhir has a relaxed approach and helps in maintaining a lively atmosphere in the dressing room, calling him a “relaxed Rancho”.
“I think he (Gambhir) is very relaxed. I want to call him ‘relaxed Rancho’. There’s no pressure at all,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“In the morning, there will be a team huddle. He is very relaxed about that as well. He will be like, ‘Are you coming, please come’; it’s like that.”
However, when it came to Dravid, Ashwin revealed that he had a more stern and ordered approach.
“With Rahulbhai, as soon as we come, he demanded (everything to be) in order. Even a bottle should be kept at a particular place at a particular time. He is very regimented,” he disclosed.
“With Gambhir, he doesn’t expect all that. He has a relaxed order and will be a people’s man. He will capture everybody’s heart, and I think he will be loved by the boys.”
Gambhir is currently guiding the Indian team in his first-ever Test assignment as head coach.
Ashwin also felt that Rishabh Pant was born to play cricket. “He (Pant) played very well. When he played, I told Rohit 10 times, ‘He plays very well. I don’t know how he gets out and sometimes doesn’t score runs’,” Ashwin said.
“He was born for cricket in every angle and is a strong person. It goes very far when he hits, and he hits it with one arm. “Everyone sees that and underestimates him, but he has that much capability. He is a talent, and when he bats, everyone gets beaten.
“He puts his leg forward and says, ‘Ball, are you coming?’, and he looks at it and defends.”